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Driver Earl Pearson Jr. was the king of East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday night after his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win since 2010.

Four-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Earl Pearson Jr. ended a drought that dated back to July of 2010, when he claimed victory on the final night of the DART Winternationals for the series at East Bay Raceway Park on Saturday night.

“It's been a long time, no doubt,” said the four-time series champion who drives for NASCAR veteran Bobby Labonte.

While Pearson won the finale, Don O'Neal, who claimed Friday night's $10,000 triumph, won the DART Winternationals title and an additional $5,000 after finishing third on Saturday.

Dennis Erb Jr. won a pair of features during the six nights of racing, while Bloomquist and two-time defending series champion Jimmy Owens also triumphed.

Pittman starts strong

With two of the three nights of the opening weekend of World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series competition in the books, new Kasey Kahne Racing driver Daryn Pittman had announced himself a contender for the series championship.

Wheeling the Great Clips No. 9, Pittman dominated Friday night's opener at Florida's Volusia Speedway Park and then raced from 11th on the grid to finish second to Iowa veteran Terry McCarl during Saturday night's program.

A full night of racing remained on Sunday at the half-mile dirt track.

Lanigan owns Bubba Raceway

Defending World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Darrell Lanigan knows his way around Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.

Lanigan proved his prowess at the three-eighths-mile dirt track by winning the first two rounds of the three-night WoO LMS portion of the Bubba Army Late Model Winter Nationals.

Saturday night's $10,150 victory was Lanigan's fifth in seven career starts over the past four years at the track. It was also his 43rd career WoO LM triumph.

Townley wins one for Venturini

John Wes Townley held off a late charge from Kyle Larson to win the Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Real, the traditional season opener for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, held at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 16.

Townley's first ARCA triumph was also the first at DIS for the Venturini Motorsports team, which has been a regular visitor to ARCA victory lanes for decades. It was also the 50th anniversary ARCA race at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

“This is just a great day for Venturini Motorsports,” said Townley, who also won the pole. “This is priceless. I almost wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It's a real honor.”

Hoosier, ARCA roll on

Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards have extended their contract, which calls for Hoosier to be the official tire of the series, through 2015.

The agreement provides for the continued exclusive use of Hoosier Racing Tires in the ARCA Racing Series for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 racing seasons and continues an established awards program and cost containment initiative for series teams.

Carolina Clash, Eastern All-Star Tour unite

The Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series and the Battle of the Eastern All-Star Tour will unite to form a combined late model series.

“It's a big day for all of us involved,” said Carolina Clash president and founder Larry Lee. “This is something we have worked on for quite some time and we believe it will be a huge benefit to the racers in our area.”

The newly unified Carolina Clash series was established as a result of extensive research and consideration of how to utilize the Hoosier tire, along with the Carolina Clash mainstay American Racer.

This & That

Devin McLeod, Chuck Hossfeld, Woody Pitkat, David Rogers and Cody Coughlin were among the winners during the opening two nights of the 47th annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at Florida's New Smyrna Speedway…Jacob Poel, Nick Hoffman and Rodney Sanders were winners during the first three nights of UMP modified competition at Florida's Volusia Speedway Park…POWRi Racing will sanction the POWRi Lucas Oil Outlaw Midget Series, which will run its inaugural season in 2013 with an eight-race schedule in New Hampshire and New York…Rain washed out both nights of All Star Circuit of Champions sprint car competition at Volusia Speedway Park.